WTAE Interview!!

My Mom contacted WTAE'S Michelle Wright about our situation.  She is coming to interview us on Thursday!  WOW!  I feel so grateful to bring awareness to Ovarian Cancer and BRCA gene mutations!  I'm sooooo nervous!  I hope I do a good job.  I really can't believe my Mommy and I are going to be on the news!  This is wonderful!  Please tune in!!!  I'm not sure when it will air, but they are taping it on Thursday.  I never thought my 15 minutes of fame would come from cancer.  I thought maybe it would be the fact I could do crazy tricks with my tongue, make funny voices or turn my feet backwards.  Such is life!
Here is what my Mommy submitted:
With the recent announcement Angelina Jolie just made regarding her mastectomy for preventative breast cancer I thought I would share my story which is very recent.  I would like my (our) story to make news so that other women can be aware of choices they have out there when faced with this very personal decision.



My mother passed away in 1979 at the age of 47 due to breast and ovarian cancer.  My maternal grandmother also had breast cancer. Many other family members also had other forms of cancer.  I'm currently 57 and was just diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer in February of this year.  I also had breast surgery at the age of 33 and 39 for pre-cancerous cysts.



I am being treated for my cancer at a local Hospital by Dr.C.  My cancer was found when I went to my GI doctor as I thought I was having intestinal problems.  I found out through a CT scan that I had tumors on my ovaries and that the cancer is on the wall of my abdomen and my intestines.  I'm having chemo before surgery because of the cancer being so widespread.  I have my last chemo at Magee this Thursday before they proceed with my surgery which should be around the first week in July.  Then most likely more chemo.



During my first visit with Dr. C at a local hospital, he reviewed my family history and suggested by daughter have the BRAC testing done.  She did and was tested positive.  My daughter, Jamie Chapel, has done extensive research and counseled with many doctors and surgeons from local hospitals over the last couple of weeks and has decided to have a complete hysterectomy and double mastectomy at her age of 35.  She will have the hysterectomy this May 28th and then the mastectomies in one year from now.



You can only imagine how hard this is for our family right now.  My daughter is my hero.  Having this surgery will reduce her chances of breast and ovarian cancer and hopefully give her a longer life to live to watch her son grow up.  There are many risks involved but she and I both feel those risks out weigh not having the surgery and to possibly end up like my mother or me.  She sees everyday what I am going through and it breaks her heart.



Thank you for listening to my story.